Most programs add folders and shortcuts to the Windows start menu upon installation. Call it bad design, but some applications do not remove them completely upon being uninstalled. To keep a computer optimized and fast, it is necessary that such useless leftovers are cleared promptly.

Instead of manually deleting them, you can use a freeware called Start Menu Cleaner. It is a tiny (38 KB), portable app. The app is simplicity personified – just a few options to choose where to remove files from, files to ignore, confirmation options etc.

Start Menu Cleaner works by scanning shortcuts in start menu, and looking for empty folders and shortcuts which points to files that do not exist.